In 2025, children aged 2 months, 4 months and 6 months will receive only the injectable vaccine to prevent cases of infantile paralysis
In 2025, children aged 2 months, 4 months and 6 months will exclusively receive , also known as infantile paralysis. There is also an injectable booster dose, to be applied at 15 months of age. The popular drops were officially retired and were no longer part of the Brazilian childhood vaccination calendar in November last year.
Therefore, this is not a new dose, but a new vaccination schedule to promote immunization against polio. The change, according to , is based on scientific evidence and international recommendations. This is because OPV (oral polio vaccine) contains the weakened virus and, when used in poor health conditions, can lead to vaccine-derived cases of the disease.
Replacing the oral dose with the injectable dose is endorsed by the Technical Advisory Board on Immunization and is recommended by the (World Health Organization). The guidance is that VOP should only be used to control outbreaks, as is the case in the Gaza Strip. Last August, the region confirmed the first case of polio in 25 years – a 10-month-old baby who had not received any of the expected doses.
Understand
In 2023, the Ministry of Health informed that it would exclusively adopt VIP (inactivated polio vaccine) in the booster administered at 15 months, until then done in oral form. The injectable dose had already been applied at 2, 4 and 6 months of age. The 2nd booster dose, previously applied at 4 years of age, according to the agency, is no longer necessary, as the 4-dose vaccination schedule ensures protection against the disease.
The update considered epidemiological criteria, evidence related to the vaccine and international recommendations on the topic. Since 1989, there have been no reports of polio cases in Brazil, but vaccination coverage has suffered successive drops in recent years. In 2022, for example, coverage was 77.19%, far from the target of 95%.
Complete calendar
The Ministry of Health reinforces that vaccination is recognized as one of the most effective strategies to preserve the population’s health and strengthen a healthy and resilient society. “In addition to preventing serious illnesses, immunization helps to reduce the spread of these infectious agents in the community, protecting those who cannot be vaccinated for health reasons.”
The national vaccination calendar includes, in routine services, 19 vaccines that protect throughout all life cycles, from birth to older age. In addition to polio, the list of vaccine-preventable diseases includes measles, rubella, tetanus and whooping cough.
The PNI (National Immunization Program) is responsible for coordinating annual vaccination campaigns, which aim to achieve high vaccination coverage and ensure individual and collective protection.
Read the complete vaccination calendars offered via SUS (Unified Health System) for children, adolescents, adults, the elderly and pregnant women.
With information from .
